


Hero's Cuties Fake Dating AU

by sgtcalhouns



Category: Wreck-It Ralph (Movies)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-13
Updated: 2019-03-16
Packaged: 2019-11-17 13:31:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 13,644
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18099473
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sgtcalhouns/pseuds/sgtcalhouns
Summary: Felix agrees to pretend to be Tamora's boyfriend when an old friend comes for a visit





	1. Chapter 1

Tamora leaned against her kitchen counter, arms folded casually across her chest. She glanced down, a pair of jean-clad legs sticking out from underneath the sink as the building’s handyman, Felix, worked to unclog the pipes. They had been situated like this for quite some time now, Tamora’s sink proving to be incredibly resistant to Felix’s fixing. 

“Your household appliances sure do seem to have it out for me,” the fixer joked, his voice muffled from inside the cabinet.

“Well hopefully this doesn’t end as badly for you as the time you fixed my shower,” she responded with a laugh, recalling how Felix had wound up completely soaked trying to fix it.

Things always seemed to be falling apart in her apartment, so she and Felix had gotten to know each other rather well since she had moved into the building a few months earlier. Tamora tended to be more withdrawn when it came to conversations about her personal life, but Felix had no shortage of stories to tell while making repairs. He was in the middle of a gripping tale of snowfall in Georgia when her cell phone rang. She apologized to Felix before answering.

“Hello? …Markowski. How did you get this number?” she demanded, sounding quite displeased with the answer. “Well what is it that you want?”

She listened, looking more and more unhappy the longer the person on the other end spoke.

“What do you mean you’re coming… How exactly do you know where I live?”

This piqued Felix’s interest. He had been trying his best not to eavesdrop, but it sounded like she was pretty upset. Whoever Tamora was speaking to, she clearly didn’t want them coming to visit.

“I’m not sure how much time I’ll have to visit with you, I’m pretty busy,” she said, clearly feigning the pleasantry. “Besides, I’m not sure my boyfriend would want me hanging around you too much.”

Once again, Felix wasn’t able to stop himself from eavesdropping. He couldn’t help the disappointment he felt as she spoke–he had always had a bit of a crush on her but had been too shy to say anything. Did she really have a boyfriend?

“Yeah, that’s right,” she continued. “His name? His name is uh… Felix.”

Felix’s wrench came clanging down onto the floor as it slipped out of his hand. Did she just say…?

“Yeah, he’s great,” Tamora continued, looking everywhere but down at Felix. “Yeah, you’ll meet him when you come. Alright. See you soon.”

She hung up the phone, still avoiding Felix’s gaze. He sat up from under her sink.

“Hey, Tamora, I couldn’t help but overhear…”

“I know, I’m sorry,” she said, rubbing her temples. “I just have this creep from my old unit coming to visit and he never stops hitting on me unless I have a boyfriend and I just panicked. But it’s my mess to deal with, not yours, and I shouldn’t have dragged your name into it.”

“Hey, there’s no need to apologize,” he said gently. “I don’t like the sound of this guy, and if you need to tell him we’re dating to get him off your back, that’s fine by me.”

“That’s the thing, though, he’s not gonna take my word for it,” she said grimly. “As soon as he gets here he’s going to be suspicious unless he sees us acting like a couple.”

“Oh…” Felix responded. 

“Yeah,” she replied. “And his visits are always weeks long, I couldn’t ask you to put on a charade for that long.”

“But what’s gonna happen if he gets here and finds out you were lying?” he asked, genuine concern clear in his voice.

“I don’t know,” she admitted. “But you don’t have to worry about it, I don’t want to burden you with my problems.”

“It’s a little too late for me not to worry about it,” he half-joked, trying to lighten the mood. “Besides, just because we’re not actually dating doesn’t mean I don’t care about your problems. You’re my friend and I want to help.”

“So what are you saying?” she asked.

“I’m saying that if you need me to pretend to be your boyfriend for a couple weeks to get this creepy guy to leave you alone, I’ll do it,” he answered. 

“Are you sure?” she asked seriously. “Because you really don’t have to do this. I’m perfectly capable of handling this on my own.”

“I know I don’t have to,” he answered, “but I want to. I’m sure you could handle this yourself–heck, you could probably knock him out if you really wanted to–but you shouldn’t have to.”

“Well, if you’re absolutely positive…” she trailed off, searching for any signs of hesitation from Felix. She found none–he was really serious about this. Her tone softened considerably before she finished. “Thank you, Felix.”

“Of course,” he replied with a smile. “Now when does he get here? I think we should start plotting as soon as possible.”


	2. Chapter 2

Felix paced the room nervously, awaiting Markowski’s arrival. He and Tamora had been perfecting their faux relationship over the last week, and today it was finally going to be put to the test. They had gone over all the important details together–they knew each other’s birthdays, favorite foods, and allergies. They had even made up an anniversary one month prior to the start of Markowski’s visit. Felix had coined a couple of pet names for Tamora, and they had even gone so far as to spend some time practicing their affectionate touches so they would seem more natural when the time came. Everything was perfect, but Felix was still terrified that they would somehow be found out.

“Will you please calm down? It’s going to be fine,” Tamora said from her couch.

“But what if he figures out we’re lying? Maybe we didn’t spend enough time preparing for this,” he replied, nervously crossing and un-crossing his arms. “Are you sure we can pull this off? When’s my birthday?”

“September twenty-third,” she answered matter-of-factly. “And you’re not allergic to any foods but you do have killer seasonal allergies. You grew up in Georgia and then came here, and you’ve been living and working in this building for nearly seven years. We’ve got this.”

“Okay,” he sighed, willing some of the anxiety out of his body. They  _had_  spent a lot of time on this, so maybe Tamora was right.

A knock at the door interrupted their conversation. Whether or not Tamora was right was irrelevant as they were now being put to the test. Tamora opened the door, revealing a very large, muscular man. Felix knew he was from the military, but he hadn’t been expecting him to be quite so  _big_. He hung back awkwardly, unsure how Tamora wanted to approach their first meeting.

“Look at  _you_ ,” Markowski remarked, practically drooling as he looked her up and down. “Mmm, all that time off the force has done you  _good_.”

“Markowski,” she replied flatly, crossing her arms over her chest.

Felix quickly made his way to the door, wrapping one arm around Tamora’s waist and extending the other to Markowski. He had planned to wait until Tamora was ready to introduce them, but after hearing his lascivious comments he felt compelled to rush to her defense. 

“Hello there, I’m Felix,” he said pleasantly as he gave Markowski the firmest handshake he could muster. “I’d be mighty careful about your next choice of words if I were you.”

Felix’s friendly tone and pleasant smile never faltered throughout this exchange, and Tamora was genuinely impressed with how intimidating it came off. Markowski chuckled, pulling away from Felix’s handshake and raising his hands defensively. 

“Hey, I didn’t mean anything by it,” he said. “I’m just excited to see an old friend. We spent a lot of time together in the old days.”

“Oh, yes, Tamora’s told me all about that,” Felix replied, fighting to maintain his friendly demeanor when all he wanted to do was slam the door in this man’s face. They had only just met, but Felix already knew they weren’t going to get along very well. Tamora felt Felix’s grip on her waist tighten as he caught Markowski staring at her chest.

“Well, I hate to bust up this party, but Felix and I have reservations soon, so we’d better go get ready,” Tamora interjected before either of the two men could lunge at each other. If she was being honest, she was a bit surprised by the very real hostility that had already begun brewing between them.

“Reservations? What’s the occasion?” Markowski asked, disappointment clear in his voice.

“It’s our anniversary today,” Felix replied cheerfully, looking up at Tamora adoringly. “Today marks one month since we started seein’ each other.”

“Seriously?” he asked incredulously. “Don’t tell me you’re this serious after just one month.”

“Ex _cuse_  me–” Felix began, before being swiftly cut off by Tamora.

“I don’t know where you come off thinking you have any right to criticize my relationship,” she began coolly, her attention focused intensely on Markowski. “It’s been years since we fought together. You hardly know anything about me anymore, and you certainly don’t know anything about Felix. And frankly, what we do is none of your business.”

Felix and Markowski shared a moment of stunned silence after she was done speaking. Pride swelled in Felix’s chest, and he moved his hand from her waist to lace their fingers together in a show of support. He did his best to ignore how comfortably their hands fit together and the small rush of warmth he felt when she squeezed his hand in thanks. 

“Now if you’ll excuse us, we have to go get ready for dinner. Goodnight.” 

She shut the door before he could respond, heaving a sigh of relief at finally getting rid of him. Tamora knew it was only temporary, he would likely return in the morning with some excuse; but for the moment, it was nice to be free of his presence.

“Wow, he is just… Extremely unpleasant,” Felix said, shaking his head. “I can’t imagine how you’ve put up with that for so long.”

“Oh, it’s been a chore,” she chuckled. “You sure had him squirming though, I’m impressed.”

“Me? What about you?” he replied. “The way you stood up to him was just incredible.”

“Well, thank you, but I doubt it’ll change anything,” she admitted. “It sure felt good, though.”

They laughed, and suddenly they were both keenly aware of the fact that they were still holding hands. Simultaneously, they released their grip on each other, awkwardly shoving their hands in pockets or crossing their arms as they tried to ignore what had happened. Felix felt his cheeks burning as a fierce blush overcame his features.

“Well, I, uh,” he began, clearing his throat before continuing. “I should probably let you get on with your evening.”

“Wait,” Tamora replied. “You should probably stay a little longer. He might still be lingering in the hallway, I don’t want him coming at you with questions.”

She held her breath while she awaited his response, attempting to disregard her genuine desire for him to stay. As far as she could tell, there was no logical reason for her to want him to stay with her, and yet she couldn’t fight back the hope that he would oblige. 

“That makes sense,” he responded, sitting on her couch. “I guess it couldn’t hurt to stick around a little longer.”

Tamora sat down next to him, an uncomfortable silence settling over the pair. Unbeknownst to each other, they both spent this awkward moment trying to reason through the sudden flood of emotions they were experiencing. Maybe this faux-relationship was more than they had originally bargained for. And as they sat and stewed over this issue, they each made the decision to keep these feelings to themselves–no need to make the situation any messier than it already was.

Maybe it would be better that way. 


	3. Chapter 3

Felix stirred, eyes opening just a crack in an attempt to piece together his surroundings. He suddenly jolted awake as he realized he was not in his apartment. The events of the day replayed in his mind as he tried to figure out where he was. Tamora had invited him over to meet Markowski, and they had settled in on the couch when he left. It appeared as though Felix had never left, falling asleep instead. Just then, he noticed a strange weight on his shoulder, and glanced down to see Tamora’s head resting on him–apparently she had fallen asleep, too. The blanket that had been sitting on the armrest was now draped over them, and he wondered which one of them had grabbed it in a half-asleep state.

As Felix observed Tamora’s sleeping form, he realized he had never looked at her this closely before. A handful of freckles had always been visible to him, but now he was discovering just how many little sun specks graced her cheeks and nose. This new knowledge wrapped its way around his heart, flooding his chest with warmth. He immediately felt a pang of guilt in knowing he shouldn’t be feeling this way about her; their romantic relationship wasn’t real, and he needed to learn to accept that. He decided it was best to get Tamora into bed and leave for the night.

Carefully, he pulled the blanket off of them, leaving it on the cushion next to him. He gently leaned away from her, turning so that his chest now supported her head. He slipped one arm around her waist and the other under her knees, pulling her onto his lap. Willing Tamora not to wake up during transit, he took a deep breath before standing to carry her into her bedroom. She was surprisingly easy to carry, and he moved as quickly as he could so as not to disturb her slumber.

Felix approached the side of the bed, gently placing her down on top of her sheets. It was in this moment that he noticed she was still wearing her shoes, and he made quick work of undoing the laces. He gently held her ankle as he slid the first shoe off her foot, and he couldn’t help noticing how soft her skin was. He shook the thought away, removing her other shoe before he could distract himself any further. Soon, he had her tucked in under the covers, still sleeping soundly. The warm feeling spread across his chest once more, making it increasingly difficult for him to leave.

A knock at the door roused him from his dilemma. He pulled the door open, stifling a yawn. The person he saw standing in the hallway had him convinced he was still asleep and having a strange dream.

“…Markowski?”

“I have a first name too, you know,” he remarked. “It’s James.”

“Okay…” Felix replied, a confused expression on his face. “That doesn’t explain why you’re here in the middle of the night.”

“I could say the same thing about you,” Markowski responded. “This isn’t your apartment.”

“No, but I am dating the woman who lives here, we just celebrated an anniversary, and she invited me to spend the night with her,” Felix shot back. “Is that enough of an explanation for you?”

“You can say whatever you want about your night, but the blankets on the couch tell a different story,” he smirked. “Looks like someone’s spending their anniversary in the doghouse.”

“Look, it’s late and I’m tired, I’m not wasting any more energy going back and forth with you like this,” Felix responded, rubbing the bridge of his nose. “Why are you here?”

“I thought I might catch up with the sarge,” he replied nonchalantly.

Felix glanced back into the kitchen, noting the time on the oven.

“It’s nearly three A.M.!” he balked, truly amazed by the gall of the man standing before him. “She, like most reasonable people, is asleep right now. And you’re not fooling anyone about your intentions–I know what you want from her, and you’re not going to get it.”

“We just met, I don’t know why you already seem to hate me so much,” Markowski replied, feigning innocence. “I just came by to talk to an old friend.”

“You’re right, we did just meet, and you’ve already proven yourself to be someone I don’t want to associate with,” Felix said. “Look, I don’t know why you came on this trip, whether you get some sick pleasure out of seeing her uncomfortable or if you really think you stand a chance of being with her, but if you really cared about your ‘old friend,’ you would leave her alone.”

“You really think you know what she wants better than I do?” he responded. “You’ve only been dating her a month and it doesn’t seem to be going particularly well since you’re already sleeping on the couch.”

“I’m not going to stand out here with you and suss out the details of my relationship,” Felix said. “It’s late, and I’m going back to bed. Feel free to come back during waking hours and we can have a nice long talk about it.”

Felix shut the door before Markowski could reply, but he did hear a faint “Have fun on the couch!” as he walked back into the apartment. He checked in on Tamora, who was still sleeping soundly. As he watched her sleep, he felt something awaken inside him, a fierce desire to protect her from harm. Quietly, he closed her bedroom door and settled back in on the couch, his plans to leave now forgotten. If Markowski came back, Felix wanted to be there. As he tried to get back to sleep, he reflected on how he had gotten to this point.

Jiminy jaminy, he was in deep.


	4. Chapter 4

The smell of eggs and bacon wafted into Tamora’s bedroom, rousing her from her slumber. She shot up in bed, her brow furrowed in confusion. Who was in her apartment? And why were they cooking breakfast? Her feet met the cold hardwood floor as she got out of bed, walking slowly into the living area. She thought she remembered Felix being in her apartment the night before, but at a certain point her memories became foggy. As she glanced around the room, she saw someone standing in front of her stove, spatula in hand. Sure enough, it was Felix, who was whistling an upbeat tune as he flipped over a few pieces of bacon.

“Good morning!” he called out from the kitchen. Tamora made her way to the couch, settling in before responding.

“What happened last night? The last thing I remember is us sitting here on the couch, but somehow I wound up in bed and you’re still here…” She trailed off as she tried to piece together last night’s events. “Did you sleep in my bed, too?”

“Oh, no! No, no, of course not,” he sputtered out, his cheeks darkening at her suggestion that they had slept in the same bed. “I woke up around three and realized we’d fallen asleep on the couch, so I carried you to bed.”

“Really?” she said, eyeing him skeptically.

“Mm-hmm,” he replied, missing the doubt in her voice. “I got you all settled in and then I was going to leave, but Markowski came to the door and I didn’t wanna leave you alone knowing he was still out and about.”

“He came here last night?” Tamora asked, trying distract herself from the warm feeling she got at the thought of Felix carrying her to bed. 

“Yep. Said he just wanted to talk to you, but I could tell that wasn’t his intention,” Felix explained, angrily digging into the scrambled eggs with his spatula as he recalled the interaction. “I hate to tell you this, but I did say some harsh things to him last night. I know that’s probably not the image you want for us and I shouldn’t’ve done it, it was just so late and I was tired and he is just truly unpleasant and–”

“Hey,” she interrupted calmly, a soft smile on her lips. “It’s okay. He had it coming. Besides, it’s kind of nice to have someone sticking up for me.”

He could feel himself swooning as she spoke, and he turned back toward the stove so as not to let it show. He would fight off every single demon from her past if it meant she would smile at him like that again. Suddenly, he remembered his surroundings, and hastily pulled breakfast off the stove. Clearing his throat in an attempt to shake off his feelings, he approached the couch with two heaping plates.

“So I was thinking,” Felix began. “Maybe we should start doing stuff together outside the apartment. If Markowski is gonna keep hanging around the building, he might start asking questions. I think it might help if the other tenants see us out together.”

“That’s not a bad idea,” Tamora said through a mouthful of eggs. She swallowed before finishing her thought. “I was thinking of going to the gym after breakfast, maybe we could do that.”

“Sure! Sounds like a plan,” he replied.

* * *

The pair approached the door to the apartment complex’s gym, Felix growing more nervous the closer they got. He wasn’t really one for exercising, and he was not excited to let Tamora see how out of shape he was.

“Hey, uh, Tammy?” he began meekly.

“What’s up?” she replied.

“I might need a little help with some of the equipment… I haven’t used some of the machines before and I’m not quite sure how they work,” he confessed.

“When was the last time you used this gym?” she asked.

“…Never,” came his quiet reply. He smiled at her nervously as she balked at him.

“ _Never_?” she asked incredulously. “Well that’s it, this just became a personal training session. Hope you’re ready, shortstack.”

Over the course of the next hour, she put him through the ringer, pushing Felix’s body to its absolute limits. He instantly regretted agreeing to this–why exactly did he think it was a good idea to come to the gym with a former sergeant? But, all things considered, she had been pretty patient with him as he struggled. 

Their workout was almost finished now; Tamora just wanted to have Felix do some sit-ups, and then they would leave. She had spent enough time around him to know that he ate more than his fair share of pie, and she had a feeling he had done no ab workouts to counteract that habit. As Felix struggled with his first sit-up, her suspicions were confirmed. 

She knelt in front of him on the floor, putting her hands on his knees to make it easier for him. He continued to struggle, his eyes closed as he strained his muscles, but he finally managed to sit upright. Panting, he opened his eyes, only to be met with Tamora’s stunning pair inches from his own. Her eyes were a stunning sapphire, and Felix was certain he could spend hours exploring their depth. 

Tamora’s eyes were elsewhere, focused on his lips. They looked incredibly soft, and she had to suppress her desire to find out just how soft they were. As she looked at him, panting and red-faced, she couldn’t help but let her mind wander to other activities they could be partaking in that might yield similar results. She quickly dismissed the thought, focusing once more on the task at hand.

“Alright, keep going,” she instructed.

“How many of these are you gonna make me do?” Felix whined, his face still inches away.

“Twenty-five,” she replied, smirking at Felix as he dramatically fell back to the floor, groaning all the way.

“Do we really need to do this? There’s no one else in here anymore!” he pointed out.

“I think we both know this stopped being about our image a long time ago,” she chuckled. “Come on, this is for your own good. You’ve got twenty-four more to go.”

Felix stopped protesting, once more willing his core muscles to propel him upward. He found that the sit-ups were becoming a little bit easier now that he knew what reward awaited him when he completed one. Those short moments of proximity to Tamora drove him to finish this workout. 

He was so focused on her that he didn’t hear the door open as another person joined them in the gym. Tamora glanced toward the door, tensing up as she recognized James Markowski entering the room. She willed him not to try and talk to her–Felix was almost finished with his workout, and then they could leave. She focused her attention back on him, listening to him count off the last few sit-ups.  _22_ … _23_ … _24_ … 

Just as Felix struggled to sit up for the last time, Tamora saw Markowski approaching them out of the corner of her eye. Her mind raced as she tried to think of some way to keep him from starting a conversation with them.

“And… twenty-five!” Felix announced proudly. 

Hearing Markowski’s footsteps grow closer, Tamora panicked, grabbing Felix by the shoulders and pulling him forward into a kiss. His eyes shot open in surprise, but within seconds he melted into the kiss, readjusting his legs to sit more comfortably as he cupped her cheek. It occurred to him that he was supposed to be pretending–he wasn’t supposed to feel his heart burst the moment their lips met. In that moment, he knew without a doubt that he was going to fall apart when this charade ended and things went back to normal. He did his best to box that thought up, to compartmentalize it and stow it away for later inspection; right now all he wanted to do was relish that kiss.

Tamora listened intently for the sound of footsteps fading away. A few moments later she heard the start of a treadmill and a steady rhythm of heavy steps as Markowski began running. She finally relaxed knowing he had focused his attention on something besides her. With the threat neutralized, she should have pulled away from the kiss, but she let herself indulge a moment longer in the soft feel of Felix’s lips. Her desire to kiss him was not something she was prepared to think about right now, so she pulled away, releasing his shoulders from her grasp.

“Jiminy jaminy…” he said softly before remembering their current situation. 

Snapping back to reality, he quickly and awkwardly let go of her cheek, moving his hand to rub the back of his neck. They were both at a loss for words as they each realized the weight of their feelings for one another–continuing this charade was bound to be a disaster, but for now it was easier to resort back to their earlier banter. 

“Let’s get you some water,” Tamora began, attempting to clear her head. “Your face is looking pretty red.”

“Well, you did give me quite the workout,” he replied, knowing deep down that she was the real reason for his face’s current color palette.

“You didn’t do half bad for someone who’s never been to the gym,” she chided, giving him a playful look as they headed for the door.

“At least I finally know how to use the equipment,” he offered, holding the door open for her.

“You know what?” she began, a mischievous smirk making its way across her face. “I think we need to make these workouts a regular thing.”

As they made their way toward the elevator, Tamora was certain that everyone in the building could hear Felix groan in response.


	5. Chapter 5

In the days that followed, Felix and Tamora began spending the night at Felix’s apartment most days; Markowski didn’t know which apartment was his, which saved them from many late-night visits. Although, every night, Tamora offered to let Felix have the bed or to share it with him, he continually insisted that he sleep on the couch so she could have the bed to herself. It made his heart race to think of sharing a bed with her, even just for sleep, and he feared that he might cross a boundary sharing such an intimate space with her. 

More often than he cared to admit, Felix’s mind wandered back to the kiss he and Tamora had shared in the gym, the mere thought of it sending butterflies into his stomach. His heart ached as he tried to accept that Tamora didn’t feel the same way–their relationship wasn’t real, a fact he was finding more and more difficult to acknowledge. Even now, as he lay on the couch in an attempt to sleep, he couldn’t help but think back to that moment. What he had felt when their lips met was undeniably real, and he found it hard to believe that it was one-sided. He quickly shook the thought away; it was bound to bring him nothing but hurt down the road. 

His cell phone rang, jarring him from his thoughts. It was Mary, whose washing machine was on the fritz, overflowing into her laundry room. Felix sighed, standing up from the couch and heading for the door. He didn’t want to wake Tamora by going into his closet for a change of clothes, so, clad in his pajamas, he put on his boots and headed out the door with his toolbox in hand.

Less than half an hour later, Felix drudged back to his apartment, the lack of sleep finally getting to him as he barely stifled a yawn. Thankfully, the repair had been simple–he could replace a water inlet valve in his sleep, a skill he had nearly put to the test tonight as he struggled to stay awake. He rounded the corner, his apartment finally in sight, when a scream echoed through the hall. His blood ran cold as he traced the sound back to his own apartment. 

“ _Tamora_ ,” he gasped.

Adrenaline pumped through his veins as he ran home, flinging his door open and dropping his toolbox carelessly on the floor as he rushed to the bedroom. He pushed the door open, calling out to her as he scanned the room for signs of danger.

“Tammy? Tammy, are you alright?” he asked frantically as he rushed to her side. 

She was still in bed, sitting with her face buried in her knees as her shoulders shook with sobs that she fought to suppress. Felix waited a moment, but she didn’t respond.

“Did something happen, are you hurt?” he asked, awkwardly hovering over her. Now was clearly not the time to test her boundaries for physical affection, but he felt a strong need to comfort her somehow. 

She shook her head in response, and he felt a wave of relief that, at the very least, she was uninjured. And he had her communicating with him, even if she wasn’t able to talk. 

“Is it alright if I sit down next to you?” he asked. When she nodded, he sat down on the edge of the bed, being careful not to sit too close. He hesitated for a moment before gently placing a hand on her back. “Is this okay?” Another nod.

Unsure what to say next, he began rubbing soothing circles on her back. After a few moments he could feel her muscles beginning to relax and her breathing becoming more even. 

“Somethin’ gave you an awful fright, huh?” he said softly. He felt her tense up again and immediately regretted his words. “Hey, it’s alright. Everyone gets scared. Heck, I was scared, too, when I thought something had happened to you. It’s nothin’ to be ashamed of.”

A beat passed, and Tamora finally lifted her head. Felix’s heart broke at the sight of her tear-stained cheeks and puffy eyes, and he had to hold himself back from wiping her tears away. She didn’t look at him, her gaze pointed down to the mattress.

“It was a nightmare,” she finally spoke, her voice low and hoarse.

The pieces finally came together in Felix’s mind– _of course_  that’s what happened. He didn’t know much about her time in the service but he figured that she had been through more than enough to fuel her nightmares.

“I can’t imagine what you must’ve been through,” he said. “You don’t have to tell me about it, I know it must be hard to relive everything.”

“Remember before we started all this when I told you about what happened when my last relationship ended?” Tamora asked quietly, her eyes still focused on the mattress. Felix nodded. “I didn’t tell you everything.”

Felix didn’t say anything, afraid to ruin whatever emotion had prompted her to open up to him. He continued to rub her back as she explained herself.

“I was engaged. We worked together, and one day we left on a mission and only one of us came back,” she paused, letting her grief work its way through her system before continuing. “And he… He didn’t even wait until after the funeral before trying to…”

She trailed off, but Felix knew exactly who and what she was talking about. His blood boiled as he pictured Markowski trying to take advantage of Tamora during a time of grief. He knew the guy was bad news, but this was a new low.

“I take back that apology for yelling at him the other night. He deserves much worse,” Felix responded, vitriol seeping into his voice. “I’ve never wanted to hurt someone before, but land sakes… I mean, what kind of person does something like that?”

He stopped himself from rambling, taking a moment to clear his head.

“Tamora, I am so sorry you had to go through that,” he said, dropping the nickname in this moment of solemnity. “I’m so glad you asked me to help you while he’s here, because you should never have to face him alone. I’ll be here for you for as long as it takes.”

“Thank you, Felix,” she replied, finally looking up at him. Shining through her tired eyes was an expression of genuine gratitude, one Felix felt proud to receive. He smiled back at her before moving to get off the bed.

“Maybe now we can both try and get some sleep,” he said gently. Before he could leave, Tamora reached out for his arm.

“Felix, could you, um…” she pulled her hand away, looking down sheepishly before finishing her thought. “Would you stay here tonight?”

“Of course,” he answered softly. He pulled his boots off and crawled under the covers next to her. 

As they settled in, he let her take the lead, afraid to scare her off by getting too close. She rolled onto her stomach, trying her best to get comfortable. He could tell by her expression that there was something else she wanted to ask, but was too embarrassed to express.

“Would you like me to rub your back for a few more minutes?” he asked. 

She nodded without looking up at him, and he knew that he had been correct. He lay facing her as his tender hands worked their magic. Once he knew for certain that she was asleep, he finally settled into bed, ready to finally give himself over to sleep. Her steady breathing soothed him to sleep in a matter of minutes.

He had never slept so soundly.


	6. Chapter 6

Several days had passed since Tamora’s nightmare, and neither of them had acknowledged it since. Tamora was too proud to admit to her vulnerability, and Felix was too polite to make her uncomfortable by bringing it up. The only reminder of that moment came each night when Felix climbed into bed beside Tamora. The first evening after her night terror, he had climbed into bed without even thinking, and then immediately stammered an apology until Tamora assured him that he could stay.

“Are you sure?” he asked.

“It’s your bed,” she replied.

They both knew it was more complicated than that, but to admit that fact would take more bravery than either of them currently possessed. So, they continued in this pattern, Felix cautiously slipping under the covers each night awaiting the moment she would decide she didn’t want him there anymore.

Felix had also doubled down on his efforts to put them in the public eye, taking her to dinner a couple of times along with their now-regular trips to the gym. Tonight, they were going to a birthday party for Mary, another tenant and long-time friend of Felix. This was the biggest event they had faced as a faux couple, and they were both a little nervous to face their neighbors head-on for the first time.

Felix approached the building’s clubhouse, a modest space for hosting parties and other special events. Tamora had arrived before him – he had gotten stuck finishing a stubborn repair before he could meet up with her. He hoped she’d been able to hold her own while he was gone; she wasn’t the most social person, and it didn’t help that she didn’t know most of her neighbors. Doing one last check for any wrinkles or pieces of lint on his clothing, he headed inside in search of her. 

He scanned the room, taking in his surroundings. The room was decorated head-to-toe with all of Mary’s favorite flowers, and he caught a glimpse of a chocolate fountain in the back corner. And, of course, there was the centerpiece of the party, the dance floor. All this, and still no sign of Tamora. He frowned, looking over the room one more time. His jaw dropped as his eyes finally sought her out, standing awkwardly in the back of the room, arms crossed over her chest. Despite her miserable demeanor, she looked beautiful, a casual navy dress adorning her person. The stark contrast between the dark blue fabric and her pale skin was mesmerizing, and he knew, even without a closer look, that the color probably made her eyes pop. 

The rest of the party forgotten, he crossed the room, taking her by surprise when he suddenly appeared before her. 

“Felix, you finally made it,” she said, attempting not to sound too relieved by his presence. “I’ve already spent ten minutes listening to Gene drone on about the recipe for a perfect martini.”

“I’m sorry I couldn’t make it sooner. I’ve heard that monologue from him before, I know it’s nothing to write home about,” he chuckled. “You look wonderful tonight.”

The sincerity in his voice caught her off guard, and she tried to conceal the light blush that claimed her cheeks. 

“You clean up pretty well yourself,” she replied, regaining her composure. “So what exactly is your plan for this party?”

“Well, I thought we could make some small talk with the other residents, talk about our relationship a little. That way if he comes around asking questions, the neighbors are on our side,” he explained. “And, well… I thought I might try to get you on the dance floor at some point.”

“Felix, I really don’t dance,” she responded.

“I figured as much, it’s just that I’m sorta known around here for my dancing,” he said sheepishly. He hadn’t revealed this part of himself to her before, and he wasn’t sure how she would react. “So it might look a little odd if I brought you here and didn’t dance with you.”

“You’re known for your dancing?” she repeated a bit skeptically. 

Before he could respond, Mary passed by, excitedly embracing Felix.

“I’m so glad you could make it!” she exclaimed. “I’d better see you on the dance floor later!”

“Oh, you know it, Mary!” he answered as she left to greet another group of partygoers. He looked back at Tamora, whose face was twisted into a mix of confusion and amusement.

“Look, I know it’s a little strange,” he began before being interrupted by Tamora.

“No, it’s not, it’s…” she trailed off, in search of the right words. “If this makes any sense, it sort of suits you.”

He smiled, feeling a bit relieved that she didn’t find his hobby foolish.

“But I still don’t think I can dance with you,” she continued. “I haven’t done it very much and honestly… I don’t really know how.”

“Well, I’d be happy to teach you!” he replied. “We can go out on the patio where there’s less people, and I’ll show you some of the basics.”

Unable to explain why, she found herself agreeing, and the next thing she knew, she was standing outside on the patio with Felix. They were still visible to the guests inside due to the large glass doors that stood between them and the rest of the party, but it still felt somewhat secluded. It was much quieter out here, the music faintly audible to them as Felix arranged them into the proper position.

“Put your hand right here, on my shoulder,” he explained while gingerly taking her hand and placing it there, “and my hand goes here, on your uh… o-on your waist.”

His cheeks stained scarlet as he placed his hand in the curve of her waist. Taking a couple of deep breaths, he reached for her other hand, ready to begin her lesson. The upbeat song that had been blaring through the speakers had just ended, being replaced by a slow love song. Felix silently cursed the DJ for making this situation even more awkward than it had been before.

“Now, just listen to the music for a moment, try and find the rhythm,” he said softly. “I’ll lead, so all you have to do is listen to the music and follow me.”

He slowly began to move, starting with a simple swaying step that kept them in place. She fumbled a bit, her eyes glued to their feet. 

“Tamora, look at me,” he prodded gently. She reluctantly obliged. “Don’t focus so much on your feet. The most important part is feeling the rhythm. Here, close your eyes.”

Once again, she obliged. She found herself surprised by how much she trusted him in this moment: she was defenseless as he held her in the dark, but she felt comfortable enough with him to know he wouldn’t do anything to harm her. Whether she cared to admit it or not, she had opened up more to Felix than to anyone else she had known in a long time.

“Just listen for a minute,” he instructed, his voice low. 

After a moment, she felt his body begin to move again, gently pulling her with him. He guided her back into the same step as before, but this time she followed him with ease.

“See? It’s not too hard,” he said, and she could practically hear him smiling. “I’m going to switch it up a little bit now, okay?”

She nodded, and he began using the same step to travel across the patio. His arms felt stronger and more confident around her than before as they swayed across the floor. Something about his hand on her waist sent a tingle through her that she tried her best to ignore.

“I’m going to spin you, alright?” he asked before carefully spinning her out away from him and then back into his arms. She began to feel a bit dizzy, but she couldn’t be sure that it was all from the dancing.

They continued on like this for a few minutes, her eyes closed while Felix guided her through her lesson. Holding Tamora in his arms like this felt so natural, so  _right_ , that Felix had almost convinced himself it was real. Then, he saw a certain hulking military man enter the party, effectively torpedoing his fantasy. Tamora felt his hands tense up against her.

“What is it?” she asked.

“He’s here,” he answered, and he didn’t need to elaborate for her to understand his message.

Her heart rate swiftly went up as her mind raced, trying to find a way to get them out of there before he found them. Felix felt her palm begin to sweat and quickly brushed off his own anger toward Markowski, directing his attention on her instead.

“Hey, look at me,” he said gently. She tensed for a moment before obeying. “It’s going to be alright. Don’t think about anything else. Just feel the rhythm of the music and look at me.”

She nodded, and he continued dancing with her as though nothing had changed. The temptation to look inside in search of their intruder was strong, but she followed Felix’s instructions and looked at him instead. His big blue eyes were soft and reassuring as he tried to distract her from the looming threat inside.

“I’m hoping he won’t bother us if we look busy,” he explained, still smiling softly in the hopes that it looked convincing to the partygoers watching them. “As long as we stay where people can see us, he can’t try anything too crazy.”

“So are we just going to be stuck out here all night?” Tamora asked.

“No, when this song ends I think we should go inside,” he answered. “We’ll just pretend we haven’t seen him and mingle with everyone until we can find an excuse to leave.”

Tamora nodded as they continued dancing. She could tell the song was beginning to wind down and couldn’t help but feel slightly nervous to go inside.

“One more lesson for the night,” Felix said, interrupting her thoughts. “I’m going to dip you, okay?”

Before she knew what was happening, Felix adjusted his grip on her, tilting her down toward the floor. Her fingers dug into his shoulder as she braced herself for a collision with the floor, but Felix moved his hand into the small of her back and leaned with her, holding her confidently. He glanced up at the door, noting that several of their neighbors were huddled around the door, watching them.

“Don’t let this make you nervous,” he began, “but it looks like we’ve got a bit of an audience.”

“Kiss me,” she said, taking Felix by surprise. She quickly followed up with an explanation, “While everyone’s looking. To make it more convincing.”

He obeyed her command, gently pulling her toward him as he leaned down and pressed their lips together. In truth, he didn’t need much of a reason to kiss her; he had secretly been hoping for an excuse to do so since their first trip to the gym. He took a moment to readjust their position, releasing her hand and placing it on his shoulder so he could wrap both arms around her waist as he deepened the kiss. It was probably unnecessary–he doubted the people inside could see how deeply he was kissing her–but he couldn’t get enough of her. 

Finally, he released her lips, pulling them back into an upright position. He glanced over her shoulder and saw their audience beginning to gossip among themselves. Looking back up at Tamora, he thought he noticed a pink tinge claiming her cheeks, but here in the dark it was hard to be sure.

“So,” he began as nonchalantly as possible. “How was that?”

Feeling even more dizzy than before, Tamora took a moment to recover before responding. She didn’t have a name for the feeling that flared up inside her when they kissed, and she was trying her best to ignore it altogether. Breathlessly, she finally answered.

“Not bad.”


	7. Chapter 7

Felix led Tamora to the door, her hand in the crook of his elbow. They shared a nervous look before he opened the door and took them inside, where they were immediately bombarded with questions.  _I didn’t know you two were dating! How long has this been going on? Why didn’t you tell us?_ A small crowd had gathered around them, effectively trapping them against the patio door. Tamora fought back the urge to pull it back open and drag Felix back outside, away from the barrage of questions. Noting her discomfort, Felix placed his hand over hers reassuringly before addressing their neighbors.

“Yes, Tamora and I are dating, we’ve been together for over a month now,” he answered. “And the reason we haven’t told you is because… Well, we didn’t want to make our relationship public until we were sure it had a chance of lasting.”

Felix began to sweat a little as he explained their relationship–he and Tamora hadn’t actually decided what reason they were going to give the other tenants for keeping their relationship a secret. He glanced at her nervously, hoping his explanation would suffice. She gave him an approving nod, and he sighed in relief before continuing.

“You all know how long it’s been since I’ve sought out a lady’s affection,” he explained, looking at his neighbors knowingly, “and Miss Calhoun is a fairly private person. We thought it might save us both from some potential unpleasantness if we waited before telling you.”

The group nodded, accepting his answer. The crowd began to disperse, leaving Mary standing before them. 

“I’m just so excited for you two,” she grinned at the pair. She turned toward Tamora, a slightly more mischievous grin on her face as she continued. “I know Felix has had his eye on you for some time now. I’m glad to see he finally worked up the courage to do something about it!”

She flitted away, lost in the crowd once more before either of them could respond. Tamora glanced over at Felix, smirking at the mortified expression that adorned his face.

“So, you had a crush on me, huh?” she asked amusedly.

“I-I may have said something to Mary just once, not long after you moved in,” he explained sheepishly, avoiding eye contact with her. “It was before I really knew you, and once we became friends, I let it go.”

A strange sensation stirred inside Tamora as Felix spoke. She found herself feeling almost disappointed to learn that he no longer had feelings for her. Trying her best to fight it off, she scolded herself for being so silly. They were good friends, and that was fine by her. Before she could ruminate on it any further, she was eclipsed by the shadow of a very large man. 

“Ralph!” Felix exclaimed, embracing the giant figure. “Tammy, this is my best friend, Ralph.”

“Nice to meet you,” she said, for once in her life having to look up to make eye contact with him. “I’ve seen you around the building before, but I didn’t know you were so close with Felix.”

“It’s nice to meet you, too. Felix and I, we go way back,” Ralph explained. He turned his attention back on Felix before continuing. “Hey, could I talk to you for a minute?”

Felix glanced back and forth between Ralph and Tamora. He didn’t want to leave Tamora alone knowing that Markowski was nearby, but he didn’t want to brush off Ralph, either. Thankfully, Tamora spoke up on his behalf.

“I’m going to run to the ladies’ room,” she said. “You two catch up.”

“What’s up, brother?” Felix asked once Tamora had disappeared into the crowd.

“I, uh, I wanted to congratulate you, I guess. You guys seem pretty happy together,” he began, nervously bouncing back on his heels. “But I was just wonderin’… How come you didn’t tell me about it sooner? I don’t wanna pry into your personal life, but this seems like the kind of thing you’d normally tell me about.”

“I know, I’m sorry,” Felix replied, his voice laced with remorse. “Tamora, s-she didn’t want to tell anyone until we knew we had a chance of lasting. It killed me to keep it from you, but I wanted to respect her wishes.”

He hoped Ralph didn’t notice the sheen of sweat that covered his brow as he struggled to lie to him. They had been friends for most of their lives, and Felix had never lied to him like this.

“Yeah, that makes sense. I didn’t mean to make you feel bad or anything,” Ralph said, noticing his friend’s nervous behavior. “It does seem like you guys’ve got a good thing going.”

“Oh, we sure do,” Felix responded, a dreamy tone overtaking his voice. “She’s gotta be the loveliest gal I’ve ever had the pleasure of spending my time with.”

As he rhapsodized to his friend, Felix realized just how easy it was for him to say these things. He didn’t have to make them up; for once he was able to speak openly and honestly about his feelings for Tamora. Relishing this newfound freedom, he continued.

“Aside from being the most stunning woman I’ve ever seen, she’s something of a firecracker, too,” he gushed. “You know, I never liked sarcasm much, but coming from her, I can’t help but find it kinda cute. I’m honestly amazed she ever decided to give me the time of day.”

“You and me both, pipsqueak,” a gruff voice called from behind Felix. He turned to find Markowski towering over him. 

“How did you get in here? I highly doubt you’re close enough with Mary to be invited,” Felix said exasperatedly.

“Uh, who’s this?” Ralph asked, his expression confused as he looked between the two men.

“James Markowski,” the large man answered, addressing Ralph. “Tamora and I are old friends.”

“Back when she was your  _commanding officer,_ ” Felix butted in. “Would you please be so kind as to let my friend and I get back to our conversation?”

“Right, because everyone wants to hear you talk about how sarge gets you all hot and bothered,” he replied sarcastically. “Come on man, you don’t really think she feels the same way, do you?”

“I don’t see how that is any of your concern,” Felix said, trying his best to remain calm. This was proving increasingly difficult as his anger bubbled to the surface.

Just as the conversation grew heated, Tamora emerged from the bathroom. Her heart nearly stopped beating at the sight of Markowski looming over Felix. She crossed the room as quickly as she could manage, fighting her way through the crowded space. Soon, they were within earshot, and she was finally let in on the conversation.

“I’m just saying, there’s gotta be something fishy going on here. You really expect me to believe that  _you_ ,” he paused, his face betraying his amusement as he stared Felix down, “are with  _that_  hot piece of ass?”

“Don’t you dare say anything like that about her again,” Felix said, anger seeping into his voice. He struggled to keep his voice low so as not to draw attention to them. “You can say whatever you’d like about me, but you will not disrespect Tamora.”

“Disrespect?” he asked incredulously. “I was just complimenting her. That’s exactly what you were just doing.”

“There is a difference between paying someone a genuine compliment and reducing them to a body you find attractive,” Felix replied. “You, of all people, should know the kind of respect she deserves.”

“If you’re so happy together why should it matter what I have to say about it?” he asked accusingly.

“Because I know how angry it would make her to hear the things you’re saying right now, and I would much rather stand up to you myself than have her hear even a fraction of your disgusting opinions,” Felix answered, his voice slowly rising in volume.

“What, you don’t think she can handle it? Or are you scared she’ll realize what she’s missing out on and kick you to the curb?” Markowski prodded. “Come on, little guy, why can’t you just let this go?”

Noticing the escalating tension in the conversation, Tamora hurried her pace, trying desperately to reach the two men before their argument turned physical. However, she suddenly found herself glued to the spot, standing a short distance away as Felix began to speak again.

“Because I love her!” Felix nearly shouted, his hands balled into fists. “I love that woman, and I refuse to sit idly by while she is being blatantly disrespected. I will not tolerate such disgusting things being said about her.”

The room began to spin around Tamora as his words came crashing down on her. There was a brief moment of elation as the words  _I love her_  escaped his lips, followed by an almost immediate crash and burn as she remembered that it was all for show. A mix of emotions stirred within her, the strongest of which being self-reproach for feeling anything for Felix in the first place. She knew it was wrong, that she shouldn’t let herself develop any real feelings for a boyfriend who wasn’t even her boyfriend–but she couldn’t ignore the warmth that had briefly flared up inside her when he said he loved her.

“Hey, let’s all just try to calm down,” Ralph said nervously, breaking through Tamora’s moment of introspection. 

When she looked back up, Felix and Markowski were standing dangerously close, the air around them drenched in animosity. She quickly did her best to shake off her emotions and rushed to Felix’s side.

“What’s going on here?” she asked, pretending she hadn’t just heard Felix declare his love for her.

“Tammy,” Felix sighed in relief, grasping her hand. As much as it scared him to think that she may have overheard their conversation, her presence was a calming one, and his breathing began to even out.

“Your boyfriend here was telling me all about his hard-on for you,” Markowski sneered.

“Come on, Tammy, let’s just get out of here,” Felix said, his voice low in her ear as he shook his head. He was growing more exhausted of this conversation with each passing second.

“What, you can’t handle a little competition?” Markowski taunted.

“I wouldn’t exactly call it a fair fight,” Tamora smirked. Markowski puffed up with pride until she finished her thought. “Felix actually knows how to treat a woman.”

Felix shifted, standing just a little taller after her comment. They turned to go, leaving Markowski fuming behind them.

“Where do you think you’re going?”Markowski asked angrily.

Before either of them could respond, Tamora felt a firm hand grip her posterior. She turned to face the perpetrator and was unsurprised to find Markowski waggling his eyebrows at her. A disgusted noise escaped her throat. She struggled for a moment to decide whether she would rather knock his lights out or break the hand that was still splayed across her rear. 

The decision was ultimately made for her; as Markowski hit the ground, it wasn’t Tamora who had thrown the punch. Felix stood over him, panting for breath, his fist still slightly raised. A hush fell over the room as everyone in the room processed what they had just witnessed. No one looked more shocked than Ralph, who still stood nearby. Regaining his composure, Felix straightened his tie before addressing his friend with a shrug.

“I told him I wouldn’t tolerate it.”


	8. Chapter 8

Felix and Tamora made their way back into the apartment building, still reeling from the events that had just occurred at Mary’s birthday party. As the adrenaline began to wear off, Felix started to panic.

“Oh my land, I can’t believe I did that,” he said in horror, his hand pressed to his forehead. “What if he comes around looking for revenge? What if he presses charges? What if–”

“Hey, calm down,” Tamora interrupted. “Even if he did call the cops, it was self-defense. He put his hands on me first.”

“This is just so unlike me, I mean I’ve never even  _wanted_  to hit another person before, but when he touched you like that I just got so angry,” he said, a touch of vitriol in his voice as he recalled the encounter. “I’m… I’m real sorry, I know I probably embarrassed you and I probably should’ve just let you handle it. I don’t know what came over me.”

Tamora found herself a bit taken back by his apology. She couldn’t believe that after he had stepped in to defend her from being assaulted, he felt the need to apologize to her. He really was too sweet for his own good. 

“Felix, you have nothing to be sorry for. The only one who should be embarrassed is Markowski,” she said reassuringly. “It was actually kind of nice to have someone else step in for me, I usually take care of those things myself.”

“And I know you could have, without a doubt. Probably even better than I did, I just…” he trailed off, looking into her eyes before finishing. “I wish you didn’t have to.”

He held her gaze for a long moment, willing himself to be brave enough to open up to her about his true feelings. For a brief moment his eyes flitted down to her lips and he wondered what the consequences would be if he kissed her now. The were alone in the hallway, most of the other tenants still at the party, so he would have no excuse to fall back on if she rejected him. Still, he couldn’t help that small glimmer of hope that she felt the same way. Before he could test his theory, they reached his door.

Felix swallowed hard, clearing his throat and trying to shake off his feelings before they stepped inside and were truly alone. This was always his least favorite part of the day, because it meant that he had to pretend he wasn’t hopelessly falling for her. Somewhere along the way he had stopped faking the romantic part of their relationship, and he had no idea what he was going to do when Markowski left and she had no need for him anymore.

“I will say, it was pretty impressive,” Tamora said, breaking Felix out of his thoughts. “I knew you were strong, but I didn’t quite expect you to knock him down like that.”

“I think I just caught him off guard,” he said dismissively. “I wouldn’t stand a chance against him in a real fight.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure about that,” she countered.

After everything tonight, from the dancing to Felix’s altercation with Markowski, Tamora was feeling more confused than ever. She couldn’t ignore the surge of desire that pulsed through her as she watched Felix punch her attacker’s lights out. Even knowing that it wasn’t real, hearing him declare his love for her had emotions stirring within her that had sat in the attic of her heart for years, forgotten and collecting dust. It terrified her to feel this way, but it was becoming more difficult to deny with each passing day.

“Well, it’s getting late,” she cleared her throat, trying to remain casual. “I’d better go ahead and take a shower, start getting ready for bed.”

Felix nodded and she escaped into his bedroom. A moment later he heard the bathroom door shut and the sound of running water. He leaned back against the door, burying his face in his hands. He had gotten himself into an awful mess and he had no clue what he was going to do about it. 

Suddenly, he heard a knock at the door. Pushing his weight off from the door, he turned to face it, turning the knob and pulling it open. He was greeted by the face of his best friend, Ralph.

“Oh, hey brother,” Felix said. “What brings you here?”

“Well, I thought I’d come check on you after… Everything,” he replied, nervously rocking back and forth on the balls of his feet.

“Why don’t you come inside?” Felix offered, stepping back to let Ralph duck under the doorframe. “Tamora’s just gone to take a shower.”

“I guess things are getting pretty serious with you guys, huh?” Ralph asked as he sat down on the couch.

“You could say that,” Felix answered nervously, placing himself in the adjacent chair.

“Hey, is everything okay?” Ralph asked seriously. “It seems like you’re kinda nervous to talk about her, and I’m not trying to make you uncomfortable or anything but if something’s going on, you can tell me.”

Felix paused for a moment, unsure how to proceed. He wasn’t sure how much longer he could lie to Ralph without him catching on, but he didn’t want to betray Tamora’s trust. But if there was anyone he trusted to talk through this with him, it was Ralph.

“I have something to tell you, Ralph. I haven’t been honest with you,” Felix admitted, casting his eyes downward. “Tamora and I aren’t really dating. She found out Markowski was coming to visit and asked me to pretend to be her boyfriend so he’d leave her alone.”

“Oh…” Ralph responded.

“I promised not to tell anyone because she was worried about word gettin’ out. This guy is bad enough as it is, I can’t imagine what he’d do if he found out,” he explained. “I’ve hated keeping it from you, especially here lately. I could’ve really used your advice.”

“Why, what’s been going on?” Ralph asked, genuinely concerned. Of course he was hurt that he had been lied to, but he knew his friend needed him now.

“Well, I know that I agreed to pretend like we’re dating, but recently it just…” he trailed off, nervous to admit his feelings out loud for the first time. “It hasn’t felt fake. Not to me.”

“What exactly are you saying?” Ralph prodded.

“When this whole thing started, we had to pretend with each other out in public, but when we were alone together it was easy because we just had to be friends like we always were,” he explained. “But somewhere along the way things got switched around. When I’m out with her, I’m not pretending anymore. It’s easy to be romantic with her because that’s what I want to do. It’s when we’re alone that I have to pretend like I don’t have feelings for her.”

The men were so absorbed in their conversation that they didn’t notice the water turning off in the bathroom. Tamora, now clad in her pajamas, had her hand on the bedroom doorknob when she was let in on Felix’s conversation with Ralph.

“It’s been so hard to keep lying every day,” Felix continued. 

“Have you tried talking to her about it?” Ralph asked.

“No, I don’t know how she’d react to somethin’ like that,” Felix answered. “Of course I want her to know the truth but I don’t want to say anything that might upset her.”

Tamora gasped, leaning her ear against the door to hear better as they continued.

“I’ve spent weeks lying for her sake, and I’m just so tired,” Felix said, his voice becoming thick with emotion. “I don’t know how much longer I can go on pretending like this.”

“No matter how you slice it, this is a tough situation,” Ralph said.

“I know,” Felix said sadly. “I don’t know what I’m gonna do.”

On the other side of the door Tamora’s heart sank as she was overcome with guilt. Of course it was unfair of her to expect Felix to keep up this charade for so long–it had been selfish of her to ask him in the first place. Her chest felt tight as those old emotions that had just been brought back to life twisted like knives in her heart. It had been foolish of her to let herself fall for him, the sting of his rejection hurting worse than she could have ever imagined. Unable to face any more of the conversation in the living room, she walked away from the door, missing the next crucial words to escape Felix’s mouth:

“I love her.”


	9. Chapter 9

Felix woke the next morning to rustling on the other side of the bed. He opened his eyes to find a duffel bag in place of Tamora. The woman missing from the bed was pulling her clothes out of the dresser, stuffing them into the bag in question. Confused and still half-asleep, Felix sat up, rubbing his eyes.

“Tammy, what’re you doin’?” he mumbled.

“Packing,” she answered matter-of-factly, as though it should have been obvious to him. She continued about her task, never looking at Felix.

“What for?” he asked, waking up more fully now.

“Look, I’ve taken up enough space in your home. I’m taking my stuff back to my apartment and getting out of your hair,” she replied, and though the words themselves seemed nothing but considerate, her tone was cold, almost angry.

“You don’t have to do that,” he said. “Tammy, I meant it when I said you were more than welcome to stay here.”

“You don’t have to call me that, you know,” she said coldly. “We’re the only ones here.”

“O-oh, I’m sorry,” he replied quietly, trying not to let his hurt show. “I didn’t know it bothered you.”

Wordlessly, she went back to packing up her things. She couldn’t look at him, knowing it would only make her want to stay. His words from the previous night played over in her mind, affirming her decision to leave now so his life could go back to normal.

“Tamora,” he said, her full name feeling somewhat foreign on his tongue, “i-if I’ve done somethin’ to upset you, I’m sorry. Whatever it is, just tell me and we can talk about it. You don’t have to leave.”

“Yes, I do,” she replied. 

“But why?” he asked. 

“I know it’s been hard for you to go on pretending for so long,” she answered. “Now you won’t have to.”

His heart dropped into his stomach as she spoke. He had dreaded this moment for weeks and now it was here, his worst nightmare come to life. The thought of her leaving without ever knowing his true feelings was nearly enough to bring him to tears.

“What about Markowski?” Felix asked, desperately trying to find an excuse to make her stay. “Who knows what he’ll do when he finds out we’re not…together.”

“That’s not your concern.”

“Yes, it is,” he retorted. “I agreed to do this and I knew what I was signing up for. We may not actually be dating but I still care about you enough to want him as far away from you as possible. I can’t just sit idly by knowing he’s nearby waiting for his chance to get at you.”

“Just drop it, okay?” Tamora shot back, her voice growing louder. “You don’t have to pretend to care for my sake. I know you don’t want to do this anymore.”

“What?” Felix asked, more confused than ever. “I think there’s been some sort of misunderstanding, I never said that.”

“Yes, you did. I heard you,” she spat back at him, zipping up the duffel bag and taking it out of the bedroom. Felix hurried after her. “I heard you telling Ralph that you couldn’t keep pretending anymore.”

His blood ran cold as he realized what had happened. She must have overheard his conversation the night before. However, it was clear that she hadn’t heard everything, and he was running out of time to fix it.

“Yes, I did technically say those things, but not in the way you think,” he said frantically, trying to get the words out before she reached the door. “You overheard some of my conversation last night, but you didn’t hear everything.”

“I heard plenty,” she replied, a few steps away from the door. Felix scurried in front of her, blocking her escape.

“You must have walked away before I finished, you missed something really important,” he explained.

“Felix, I don’t have time for this, let me go,” she said as he blocked all her attempts to reach for the doorknob.

“No, not until you listen,” he pleaded.

“Listen to what? There’s nothing to explain,” she said, all the hurt she had been bottling up since last night bubbling to the surface. “I heard what you said. You want to stop acting like we’re dating. So let’s stop.”

“That’s not what I was talking about,” he said, grabbing the bag from her hands and retreating back into the living room. She sighed in frustration, turning to follow him.

“Unless you have another fake girlfriend I don’t know about, it’s pretty obvious what you were referring to,” she said, reaching for her bag. He pulled it behind him, extending his other arm out in front of him.

Groaning in irritation, Tamora turned back toward the door. She had to get out of here, with or without her belongings. She would just come back for the bag later. 

“Tammy,  _please_ ,” Felix cried out, grasping her hand and turning her back around to face him. He paused, taking a deep breath before continuing. “When I said I didn’t want to pretend anymore, I wasn’t talking about our relationship in public. If I’m bein’ honest, when it comes to our dates and anything we did outside this apartment, I haven’t been pretending in a long time.”

The stunned look of confusion on Tamora’s face was quickly depleting Felix’s confidence, and he found it difficult to look at her as he continued.

“It’s when we’re alone together at the end of the day that I’ve had to pretend I don’t really wanna be with you… Because I do,” he said, his gaze focused on their still-connected hands. “And I just didn’t know how much longer I could go without tellin’ you how I feel. The truth is, Tammy, I…”

He trailed off, finally looking into her eyes. Her expression was difficult to read, but he didn’t let that deter him as he dropped her bag on the floor and reached up to cup her cheek. She gasped, unfamiliar with such intimate contact in this context–he had never entered her personal space without permission like this. 

Without a moment’s hesitation, he leaned up and pressed his lips to hers. They had kissed before, but he had never dared to cross that line in private; right now it felt like the boldest decision he had ever made. He kissed her like it was the last thing he would ever do, pouring his heart into their connection in the hopes that it would convey what words couldn’t. Knowing that this would likely be the last time he ever got to kiss her was absolutely devastating.

“I’m in love with you,” he said softly, his voice thick with emotion and his lips hovering just above hers.

After a moment, he pulled back, looking up at her face. There was a fire in her eyes like he had never seen and he suddenly began to worry that he had truly angered her. He released his hold on her and took a step back.

“I-I shouldn’t have done that, I’m sorry,” he stammered.

Before he could say more, Tamora grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him close. 

“Don’t you dare apologize,” she said angrily, and before he could say more, she reeled him in for another kiss.

He remained frozen for a moment, having braced himself for a much less pleasant impact. Once he realized what was happening, he kissed her back, unwilling to question the motive behind her behavior. There was that same spark he had felt when they kissed before, but this time he finally allowed himself to give in to it, deepening their connection. His hands fell into place in the small of her back, pulling her close. After a long moment, Tamora pulled away, both of them breathless.

“You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to do that,” Felix sighed.

“Me, too,” she replied.

“So, um,” Felix gulped, afraid to ruin whatever had just prompted her to kiss him. “What’re you sayin’ exactly?”

“Felix,” she began, taking a seat on the couch. Felix followed suit, careful to leave a few inches of space between them. “I’ve spent the last few weeks trying to deny my feelings for you. I haven’t felt this way in a long time, and it scared me when those feelings started cropping up.”

“I understand,” Felix said, and it was true. He knew better than anybody what she had been through and what this confession meant. “That’s why I held off tellin’ you for so long. But today, I just… I couldn’t let you leave without knowing the truth.”

“I think you know I’m not the best at talking about my feelings,” she said. “It’s not easy for me to talk about those things, but you showed me a long time ago that you would be there to listen when I needed it.”

“And I will be,” he said solemnly, placing his hand over hers on the couch. “Always.”

“It hurt when I heard you last night and thought you didn’t want to do this anymore,” she admitted, looking down instead of at Felix. “Then I felt stupid for thinking you would want to be with me in the first place. I didn’t know what else to do except push you away.”

“Oh, Tammy, I’m so sorry,” Felix said, his heart sinking at the thought that he had caused her pain. “I never want to make you feel hurt or unwanted, and I feel terrible that I did, even by accident. I will do everything I can to make sure you never feel that way again.”

“I know. Which is why I’m telling you…” she trailed off for a moment, a strong current of anxiety pulsing through her. She almost decided not to finish her thought, but one look into Felix’s eyes full of love and understanding gave her the strength she needed to continue. “Felix, I… I love you.”

“…What?” Felix asked, certain that his ears had deceived him. There was no way she had really just said…

“I love you, Felix,” she repeated, smiling this time.

Felix couldn’t help the laughter that escaped his lips as his happiness overflowed, a few happy tears pricking at the corners of his eyes. He reached up to cradle her face in his hands, his thumb gently rubbing her cheek. The closeness he had always longed for with her was finally real, and he was nothing short of ecstatic.

“I love  _you_ ,” he said, leaning in to kiss her. He lingered for a moment before pulling away, wanting to fully relish their connection. “Could you, um… Would you stay? At least for the day,” he asked a bit sheepishly.

“Of course,” she answered, a soft smile on her lips.

“I could make us some breakfast if you want,” he offered. “After that… Maybe we could spend the day at home, just the two of us.”

“I’d like that.”

And for the first time, as they went about their day together, their relationship existed for no one else.


	10. Impressive Hardware

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This was a silly smut idea that came to me after finishing the fake dating au, taking place the first time Tamora and Felix get intimate.

The air around them buzzed with electricity as their hands roamed each other’s bodies. Felix found his desire overriding his nerves as Tamora straddled his lap, her hands trailing down his bare chest after unbuttoning his shirt. He was lost completely in her kiss, his fingers tangled in her hair and his free hand gripping her waist. Her hand slipped below his belt buckle, gently rubbing him over the denim of his jeans. He sighed into her mouth before reluctantly breaking the kiss, pulling away to look up at her.

“Probably should’ve asked you before I did that,” she said, panting for breath.

“No, it’s–I want to,” he replied, his voice low and husky. “I just… Didn’t know you did.”

The heated look in his eyes sent a pang of want straight to her core. She kissed him again, her hands working to undo his belt. 

“ _Tammy_ ,” he groaned against her lips as she slipped her hand through his fly and began working his hardening length. 

Felix trailed his lips down her neck, his hands slowly slipping under the hem of her shirt. A breathy moan was muffled against her skin as she pulled his erection free. Glancing down, it was with great satisfaction that Tamora suppressed a chuckle. Felix pulled back, looking up at her questioningly.

“W-what is it?” he asked, insecurity creeping in.

“Nothing,” she answered, her lips still quirked up into a smile.

“Look, I know I might not have the most impressive…” he trailed off, waving his hands in the general direction of his erection, which still stood between them, “…but I hoped I would be enough to satisfy you.”

“Oh, Felix, that’s not why I’m laughing,” she reassured him. “Quite the opposite, actually.”

“…Pardon?”

“A while back Markowski made an offhand comment about your height, implying that you wouldn’t measure up in the bedroom,” she explained. Felix’s face fell as she spoke. She reached out for one of his hands before continuing. “I pointed out to him that your hands are pretty big.”

She splayed his fingers out and pressed his hand to her clothed breast. He swallowed thickly, a dark blush spreading across his cheeks. Reaching for his other hand, she continued.

“And your fingers are pretty thick, too,” she said, slowly pressing a kiss to each of his fingertips. Felix’s breath caught in his throat as she locked eyes with him, eyes all lust and heat. 

“So I told him you measured up just fine,” she finished, absentmindedly playing with his fingers.

“You really said all that?” he asked, his voice shaky.

“Mm-hmm,” she answered, peppering kisses down his neck. “Mostly just to get under his skin, since there was no way for me to know if it was true.”

“So…” he exhaled a shuddering breath, struggling to think straight under her touch. “So then what was so funny?”

Tamora wrapped her hand around his hardness, giving him a firm stroke. Felix gasped, letting out a long moan. She waited for his sounds of pleasure to die down before finally giving him an answer.

“Turns out, I was right.”


End file.
